Portret van Joost van den Vondel 1827 - 1853

Franciscus Bernardus Waanders created this portrait of Joost van den Vondel using lithography. Waanders was working in the Netherlands during a period of national self-reflection and cultural revival. This portrait captures Vondel, a celebrated 17th-century poet and playwright, in a moment of quiet contemplation, seated at his desk with a book. While seemingly a straightforward depiction, the portrait engages with questions of cultural and national identity. Vondel, who converted to Catholicism later in life, was a controversial figure, yet his literary contributions were foundational to the development of the Dutch language and theater. Waanders' portrayal invites us to reflect on how a nation chooses its heroes and how it reconciles the complexities and contradictions inherent in its cultural icons. The act of memorializing Vondel through art speaks volumes about the values and the self-image the Dutch wished to project in the 19th century.